Olympic Committee Stands By Female Boxers, Accepts Sex on Passport

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has requested that “rhetoric” emerging in a “culture war” surrounding the presence of boxers with an allegedly XY chromosome in the women’s boxing events be put on temporary hold in the spirit of the Olympic games. The IOC accepts the stated sex of athletes based on their passport information.

Outrage Over Alleged XY Chromosome Boxers

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The IOC is responding to outrage from many quarters as news spread that two boxers allegedly with XY chromosomes were boxing against boxers with XX chromosomes in the women’s boxing division of the Paris Olympic Games.

Controversial Match Between Carini and Khelif

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On Thursday, a biological female boxer from Italy, Angela Carini, gave up her fight after 46 seconds in the ring with allegedly a biological male contestant, Imane Khelif, competing in the women’s boxing competition.

Carini, who has XX chromosomes, stopped fighting after she was struck twice by Khelif, who allegedly has XY chromosomes, based on past test results from the International Boxing Association.

Focus on Khelif and Lin Yu Ting

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Much of the controversy and reason for the IOC press conference revolved around two individuals, Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu Ting. Both have competed in women’s boxing competitions for years, including at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and world championship competitions.

Media Flashpoint and Global Discussion

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After Thursday’s match between Carini and Khelif, the issue reached a media flashpoint, and Khelif and Lin became a topic of discussion worldwide.

IOC’s Statement on Khelif’s Participation

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Immediately after the Carini-Khelif incident went viral, the IOC released a lengthy statement supporting Khelif’s participation.

The statement said, “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination. All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU)… As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passports.”

Disqualification from World Championships

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Last year, both athletes were disqualified from world championships, as the organizing body, the International Boxing Association, determined that both boxers failed to meet eligibility rules based on hormones and chromosomal makeup.

International Boxing Association’s Justification

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After last year’s disqualification, International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev told Russian media that Khelif and Lin had been disqualified because “it was proven they have XY chromosomes.”

Online Abuse Following Controversy

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IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters that both Khelif and Lin had received abusive and bullying messages online after the controversy was publicized Thursday.

Call to Remove Culture War from Discussion

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Adams said, “I would urge that we try to take the culture war out of this, actually address the issues, and think about the individuals and the people concerned. Misinformation is doing real damage.”

Dismissal of International Boxing Association’s Tests

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The IOC dismissed the International Boxing Association’s tests that determined Lin and Khelif had XY chromosomes. Adams said, “We do not know what the tests were; they were cobbled together, as I understand, overnight to change the results.”

IOC’s Management of Boxing Competitions

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Since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the IOC has decertified the International Boxing Association and run the Olympic boxing competition itself.

Lin’s Medal Contention and Recent Victory

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Both Lin and Khelif are still contending for medals. Lin competed and won the first match on Friday against Sitora Turdibekova from Uzbekistan.

Khelif’s Upcoming Match

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Khelif won the Thursday match against Carini, who quit less than a minute after receiving two blows. Khelif will box again on Saturday against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori.

Juliet Potrykus

Juliet Potrykus is a distinguished writer with expertise in political news, public policy, and legislation, boasting a decade of Capitol Hill experience in Washington, D.C. She holds a Master's Degree in International Relations and American Politics from George Washington University. Now based in Washington state with her family, Juliet continues her advocacy on critical issues like immigration, education, and constitutional matters.